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Which LightRoom Editing Software Should I Choose?

April 2, 2018

Lightroom. I finally made the plunge. I’ve been working with Photoshop for the last six years (Maybe longer?), and I was hesitant to take on the challenge of learning a new program. Almost every photographer I talked to said, “You need to make the switch to Lightroom. You’ll love it!” And I finally did.

Lightroom Versions

All of the Lightroom versions confused me at first. Apparently, there are three different options. Lightroom 6, on Amazon, is $149.00. Basically, it’s the original Lightroom. The difference between Lightroom 6 and all the other versions is that Adobe is no longer offering updates for Lightroom 6.

Another option is Lightroom CC. It’s offered on the Adobe website for a monthly subscription of about $120 per year. This is the version I bought. I figured that at $10 a month, it may be worth the convenience. The subscription includes a limited amount of online storage, a Lightroom CC editing app on your IPhone, and a “cloud” based simpler version of the original Lightroom Classic CC editing software. It’s specifically for photographers who are “on-the-go” and consistently taking and editing photos on their phone. But it can easily be used on your desktop as well.

And finally, the last option is Lightroom Classic CC. This is like Lightroom 6, but now you get all the updates. There are more editing options in this version of lightroom than with Lightroom CC. Lightroom Classic CC is made more for the photographer who is editing photos from a desktop computer.

First Impressions

If I’m honest, I find it all bit overwhelming. I wish the versions of Lightroom weren’t all so similar! I ended up making my own personal chart to compare them all. Ha! Just being real here. I’ve been researching all this information for a few hours now, and I’m wondering if I should just stick to the world of Photoshop. But I’m no quitter. (Grunt, Fight Face)

In order to compare Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC, I bought the Lightroom CC subscription and downloaded the trial version of Lightroom Classic CC. My initial reaction is to lean more toward using the Lightroom Classic because it seems more like Photoshop(which I’m more familiar with) than Lightroom CC does. I have a seven day trial period to decide which editing software I prefer.

Here are some shots of the user interface.

This is Lightroom CC.

This is Lightroom Classic CC.

Final Thoughts

Ok. So I’ve played around with both Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC. I think the choice you make between the two depends on the type of photographer you are. If you want fast editing options on the go, I’d recommend the Lightroom CC. But if you are the photographer who sits at a desktop and wants to have more in depth editing options, I’d recommend the Lightroom Classic CC.

For me personally, I found myself wanting something in the middle. I’m not an on-the-go photographer. I like to sit at my desktop so I can see my photos at a larger scale. But on the other hand, I have no need for the extra editing options. My editing style is usually very minimal. But the accessibility that Lightroom CC offers tipped the scale for me. I love being able to access my photos from multiple devices.

If you aren’t sure which one would work best for you, download the trial versions and test them out for yourself.